KASHMIR AVALANCHE | Bodies of 4 Soldiers Recovered; 8 Rescued

The twin avalanche in Kashmir has revealed more horrors this Friday as four more bodies of soldiers who went missing after the snowslip hit Bandipora's Gurez valley were recovered. Since Thursday the death toll of soldiers due to the disaster has now risen to 14.

Colonel Rajesh Kalia confirmed the reports saying, "The bodies of four missing soldiers have been found.

The avalanches struck an Army patrol and a camp in Gurez on January 25 and 26, burying over 20 soldiers.

Hopefully, eight soldiers have been rescued.

READ: JUST IN | Avalanche in Kashmir Claims Lives of Nine

JUST IN | Avalanche in Kashmir Claims Lives of Nine

Image for representational purpose only

An avalanche in Bandipora’s Gurez area today has claimed the lives of nine people including five soldiers, while four other soldiers remain trapped beneath the snowslide. 

According to a spokesperson, the soldiers were killed when the avalanche hit an army installation near Sonamarg, where more than five feet of snow has accumulated. Four others are missing, preliminary reports suggest.

An official revealed that the soldiers' bodies have been recovered, adding that a major rescue operation is on in the area to locate the survivors.

Besides, four civilians were killed in another avalanche in Bandipora’s Gurez area.

“Four people died in the avalanche that struck Gurez’s Budugam on Tuesday night. A rescue operation has been launched with the help of the police and the Army," sub-district magistrate Gurez Rouf-ur-Rehman said.

The bodies of Habibulah (50), Azizi (48), Gulshan Bano (19) and Irfan (17) have been recovered.

Kashmir has been witnessing heavy snowfall since Tuesday.  Warnings of avalanches in higher reaches of north and south Kashmir have already been issued by the divisional administration in the regions.